His Name is Zero
by Izarak
Summary: After perfectly executing his Zero Requiem, Lelouch is content as he fades away into oblivion. His death is not the end however, as he finds himself reborn in a land where humans manipulate the very elements that govern them. In this world where he is completely unknown, will he find peace or strive to become something greater?
1. Chapter 1

**So this is an idea that came to me after I read several Code Geass and Avatar fanfics. I enjoy reading about stories with characters like Lelouch, and after I exhausted many of the Code Geass fanfictions out there, I started imaginging him in other settings. It wasn't long before I started imagining Lelouch as a firebender. Then I started seeing similiarities between the Fire Nation and Brittania in their quest for world domination. It was an intriguing idea and I started looking for any crossovers I could find. There weren't many and none were what I wanted to read about.**

 **As such, I decided to write this for my own piece of mind. The idea of Lelouch being born in the world of Avatar was just too enticing so I had to pen it down, maybe as a one-shot or maybe as something longer.  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar The Last Airbender or Code Geass.**

* * *

As his awareness gradually returned, he realized he was enveloped in complete and utter darkness. Surrounded in silence and lacking his other senses, he found himself surprisingly calm. He felt a soothing inner peace that he never experienced in life. If this was what death was like then he should have enacted the Zero Requiem sooner. Despite the painful end he suffered by the hands of his good friend, he didn't want it any other way. The plan of having Suzaku stab him wasn't so bad if it led him to this peaceful state.

Continuing to drift in between existence and nonexistence with his mind gradually decaying, he began reminiscing on his past.

His life was a series of tragic events leading up to even sadder endings. Of course, he orchestrated some of those tragedies himself, but that didn't make it any less painful. The entirety of his existence consisted of challenges that no ordinary man could have survived, yet survive he did. Not only did he live through unyielding odds, but he also accomplished what most thought the impossible.

He heralded an age of World Peace.

Bringing it about was no easy task and one that utilized much of his skills and resources. He planned for every minute detail to be carried out leading up to and after his death. Despite the abhorrent and distasteful things he did to achieve his end goal, he found pleasure in the process of scheming and planning ways to get what he wanted. Unraveling and maneuvering between the various plots concocted by both his enemies and allies invoked in him a feeling unlike any other. Winning under overwhelming circumstances with undeniable victory never failed to grant him great satisfaction.

From a young age he knew he was special. Even his genius older brother Schneizel recognized his prodigious talents and sought to nurture them to its full potential. No doubt the man saw himself in his younger brother and desired a powerful ally under his control when he grew older. Schneizel probably hoped he would be an obedient pawn whose only purpose was to help advance his ambitions.

Well, Schniezel was never one to hope for things to fall in place but rather actively manipulated circumstances months beforehand resulting in his victory. He was quite the perfectionist and proved to be a good role model in youth. When they became eventual enemies in battle, his older brother demonstrated just how formidable he could be. Of course, that didn't end so well for Schneizel.

Nonetheless, Schneizel awakened in him an appetite for all things intellectual. Anything that expanded the capabilities of his mind he devoured with gleeful indulgence. He was a happy young boy who strived to reach a level of excellence that would make his mother proud. This didn't change even after her assassination; if anything, it only escalated.

Following the events that caused the death of his mother and his sister's debilitating injuries, he vowed to become someone that could prevent such things from happening again. His exile to Area Eleven did little to quench the thirst for improvement. In silence and anonymity he learned what he could and improved himself, preparing for the day life saw fit to once again throw complications at him. In orderly and chaotic fashion, that day arrived and brought with it earth-shattering revelations; providing him with a new understanding, and a new purpose.

In his determination, he bulldozed through all obstacles and ushered in an age of peace.

It gave him a profound sense of pride accomplishing all he set out to do but it was also tinged with regret and bitter sadness. He left behind his beloved sister who he cherished above everyone else. Nunnally was the only person he knew for certain that loved him unconditionally. She was his rock and the solid foundation of his goals. Rivalz used to tease him, calling him out on his sister complex, but she was always there for him and always supported him in all his endeavors. She'd been with him through thick and thin, through the darkest of times when they were all alone and left for dead. Rivalz could have teased him all he wanted but that didn't change the fact that Nunnally was the most important person in the world to him.

He did everything for her, even going so far as to change the world for the better. Unfortunately, history would only remember him as the monster who was at the root of all evil. Everyone who thought of him would only be happy that he was gone. It was quite frankly, a tragic ending.

He was okay with that.

With that last fleeting thought, Lelouch felt his mind slip into oblivion and nonexistence; content at last.

* * *

In a small dilapidated building on the outskirts of a large industrialized city, a woman with a round protruding belly sat holding her knees close to her chest in an attempt to fight off the cold of night. The woman gazed around the room she resided in and cursed at the circumstances she found herself in.

"If there is any god or spiritual deity listening to me, then I could really use your help right now." She whispered as she tightly held her hands together in prayer.

She waited for a moment to see if anything would happen. The moment passed in nothing but the silence of a quiet night. She didn't truly expect a miracle to happen as she was never really the type of person to be religious, but she still felt an irrational sense of betrayal and desolation. Soon enough, her eyes started to water as she felt the hopelessness of her situation sink in. It was only yesterday that she lost everything dear to her.

Ever since she was a little girl, she fantasized one day growing up and becoming the mother of a big happy family. She dreamed of finding a good husband, settling down and leading a peaceful life. It was a simple dream, and one that was crushed just as easily as it was formed.

Of course, she knew that the current state of the world didn't exactly provide for an idyllic setting. She was an intelligent woman and had been even at a young age. She learned things faster than many of the other kids and surprised the adults with her maturity. Getting offered scholarships to some of the most prestigious fire nation schools in the world boosted her ego considerably, but that wasn't what she wanted. She met a wonderful man in her late teenage years and fell in love. He was a fire nation soldier lauded for his skills in firebending and his sharp tactical mind. He was also a funny and witty man, in which she found both frustrating and endearing. It was only a matter of time before they got married.

It wasn't love at first sight, but rather a gradual process. Once she found herself interested in his advances, she made sure that he was the one that she would spend the rest of her life with. Growing up in a household where her parents despised each other, she promised herself that she would not allow her children to grow up the same way. With a child on the way, that promise became more important than ever. Now she wished that she promised not to leave them parentless as well.

Her husband's recent death hit her hard and not just in the figurative sense. Zorro had always been kind and gentle with her, so it came as a shock when he told her that his ruthless nature on the battlefield caused much enmity from his opponents, especially earthbenders. He told her that assassins had come after him before so she should be prepared to flee if the day ever came. She thought nothing of it until yesterday when her house exploded and a small piece of debris hit her on the forehead knocking her out.

When she awoke, she looked through one of the holes in her destroyed house and saw Zorro fighting for his life surrounded by at least a dozen earthbenders with several of them burning on the ground. Before she could call out to him, he was impaled by a large jagged rock that burst out of the ground. With every last ounce of his strength, he subtly turned to her and stared into her eyes with such emotion that she could only freeze in place. In one last dying breath, he conveyed to her with his eyes his desire for her to flee. As she witnessed the life fading from his eyes, she could only stare in shock as her chest filled with anguish.

"Damn, he really put up one hell of a fight!" One of the men groaned. "Even outnumbered and caught off guard, he took out three of our guys!"

"Well they didn't call him The Dragon for nothing."

"More like Zorro The Dead Dragon, am I right guys?"

"Shut up Ying," growled a big burly earth bender. "Let's just get out of here before we get caught... we weren't exactly quiet here."

The surrounding area clearly showed signs of a large fight having occured, with smoldering wreckages lying around and trees burning in the background. Large chunks of the ground formed unnatural shapes and others were missing or misplaced. Despite the intense battle that took place, there was still a lingering feeling of excess energy amongst the earth benders.

"Hey boss," Ying called out. "I heard good ol' Dragon here has a wife. What say we go and look for her and treat ourselves to a nice reward for our victory here?" Hearing that, said wife quickly regained her senses and quietly snuck her way out through what was left of the backdoor.

"You're a sick man Ying," the boss grunted as he glared at Yin. He took several moments to look around the area before pondering the question. "Well, whatever just make it quick. We'll need to get out of here soon."

The men all cheered as they approached the ruins of the once pristine house.

* * *

It was only hours ago that she avoided the earthbenders and left the wreckage of what was once her house, eventually finding refuge in a broken down building. Her parents resided far away from where she lived, and with those earthbenders possibly still looking for her she couldn't afford to be out in the open for very long. She was at a loss for what to do; her dreams ruined with her husband dead and her house gone. All she had left was the baby in her womb, and with all that she was dealing with, she wasn't sure how that was going to go as well.

No, she couldn't give up now; she couldn't abandon her baby. Clinging onto her last hope, she found the resolve to carry on for her child. Just as she found the strength to stand up, she felt a strong contraction coming from her lower area.

"Oh no... please not now."

As another contraction hit her soon afterwards, she realized she needed to get medical care immediately. The hospital was far away from where she was hiding, but she remembered passing by an orphanage close by. With the strength found only in mothers protecting their children, she moved with urgency towards the door leading outside.

The journey from her hidey hole to the orphanage took perhaps several minutes, or possibly an hour, but to her it felt like years. It was a painfully long, arduous trek that had her bent over gasping for breath on more than one occasion. As soon as she reached the orphanage, she collapsed in a heap on the steps leading up to the door.

Luckily, the elderly matron was looking out the window when she saw the pregnant woman fall on the stairs. "Goodness gracious child!"

The matron raced down the steps and helped the heaving woman up into the warm confines of the main lobby. As they walked further inside, she asked the pale woman, "Are you alright?"

Out of earshot from the soft reply, she placed her head closer to try and hear what was uttered by the woman she was shouldering.

"I... I'm going into labor," She whispered. "I don't think I have much time." Indeed, the woman looked to be on the very edge of Death's door.

"Come with me, you're not the first woman to arrive on these steps with a baby on the way."

The two stumbled through the halls in an attempt to quickly reach the medical wing of the building. Most of the inhabitants were sleeping, but a few were awakened by the burst of noise.

"What is the meaning of all this noi-" The pair looked up and noticed another woman tiredly rubbing her eyes. "Who is this woman?"

"She's a woman in need of our care Ayumi," the matron sternly replied to her fellow nurse. "She's about to give birth, so I need all hands on deck to assist me." The nurse quickly nodded and went to rouse the others.

"Everything will be alright child. I have a lot of experience in childbirth, so rest assured that I will take good care of you." The matron softly whispered as she laid the pregnant woman on a soft bed.

After a few minutes of consoling her new patient, the matron looked towards the door just as several nurses walked in with various medical instruments.

"Make sure you're all wide awake girls, 'cause we have a long night ahead of us."

* * *

After many grueling hours, a strange smell consisting of various bodily fluids and medicines permeated the room as the sun began to peek through the closed curtains of the small windows. In the center of it all lay a sickly woman peering at a bundle being held towards her by the head nurse.

"It's a boy," the matron told her. "A beautiful healthy baby boy. He even has your eyes."

With a tearful smile, the mother looked into her son's violet eyes and reached out to touch the soft tuft of dark hair nestled on his head. She knew she wasn't long for this world, so she took in as much of her legacy as she could. The entire process leading up to this moment had exhausted her already weak constitution, and she could feel herself slipping away.

"I know I'm leaving you with nothing," she whispered to her child. "I won't be there for you and for that... I truly am sorry."

Despite knowing that she was condemning her son to a lonely life, she knew that he would be okay. Something about the way he gazed into her eyes told her that he would become a strong boy, one that would shake the very foundations of the world. He had the blood of a strong warrior and an intelligent scholar flowing through his veins, so she knew he would survive.

"What will you name him?" The matron asked.

With the meager amount of vitality left within her, she breathed her answer. "I... I want to name him... after his father." Her lips twitched in the ghost of a wistful smile. "He's... going to grow up... with nothing but his name." The matron solemnly nodded, knowing the woman was uttering her last breath.

"Zero..." She wheezed as she looked at her son through closing eyes, knowing it would be her last time. The boy stared back with equal intensity. "His name is Zero."

* * *

 **There you go. I feel so much better already having written it down and off my chest. I hope you enjoyed this, and thank you for reading.**


	2. Chapter 2

**So I decided to continue this story, 'cause I just like the idea too much. Since I am indeed continuing this story, I'll state now that Zero does not have any Geass powers so if you were looking forward to that, then I'm sorry to disappoint.**

 **There is another divergence in this story and it concerns Aang; he is several years older than in the show and will not be released from his iceberg until much much later, if he is even found at all.**

 **Anyway, here's the next chapter.**

* * *

Zero.

That was the name he was given in this strange new world. It was either a bizarre coincidence or a remarkable twist of fate. He couldn't decide which one he preferred.

Well, that wasn't entirely correct.

If indeed it was fated that he be named Zero here, then it only meant that there was some greater power controlling his very existence, possibly even mocking him. He couldn't accept that. He was no stranger to the supernatural, but the idea of anything controlling him grated on his nerves. He alone was in control of his life and no one was going to change that.

Alternatively, if his naming was a complete coincidence then he just won some kind of universal lottery. After all, what were the chances of a mother naming her child the exact same name said child used in another life, in another world? It was mind boggling and something he didn't like to think about. Whether it was coincidence or pre-ordained, there was nothing he could do about it now.

He was a baby.

He was literally a newborn baby. A baby currently suckling on the breast of one of the female nurses. It was strange and humiliating at first, but he was constantly hungry and lacked the strength to refuse so he went along with it.

Was it part of a nurse's job to breastfeed children that weren't her own? He couldn't imagine applying for a job as a nurse where that was one of the requirements. He thought babies at orphanages and hospitals were fed with bottle pacifiers or something similiar. Perhaps this world's civilization hadn't advanced much with their technologies or medical practices yet. Perhaps it was a cultural thing, or maybe he was just in a poor orphanage. On the other hand, it may speak of the prosperity of this world if an orphanage with a whole medical wing and several attending nurses was considered poor.

There wasn't much he could do as a small infant so he found himself more often than not pondering on anything he could think of. Inane things like why he was being breastfed for example.

During other times, he would close his eyes and recall the day he first arrived here just over a week ago...

* * *

He could feel his mind slipping into oblivion as darkness enveloped him in its cold embrace. In that moment, he truly believed it to be his end. This was not the case as he felt something warm surround him. Light began converging around his figure and in the blink of an eye he went from feeling nothing to feeling everything.

Pain coursed throughout his entire being as he felt something pulling at his very existence. It was as if every single cell in his body was being repeatedly stabbed by microscopic knives and simultaneously reassembled. He would've screamed bloody murder until his throat gave out if he could.

After a seemingly immense amount of time, perhaps an eternity, the pain faded away as if it was never there.

He opened his eyes and found himself in a strange environment. He was held in the hands of an old lady wearing a nurse's outfit in a room with a strange smell in the air.

He tried to tell the woman to unhand him and then reprimand her when he realized he couldn't speak; at least, not in the way he wanted to.

"Gwwah!"

With widening eyes, he immediately shut his mouth and took a closer look at his surroundings. It was then that he noticed he had tiny hands. He also had tiny feet; tiny everything really.

Before he started hyperventilating, he calmed himself and focused his mind to assess the situation.

He was in the body of a baby, or at least that's what it seemed. Had he been drugged? That couldn't be it, he had just died after all, and dead bodies weren't exactly susceptible to drugs. Unless of course, he didn't die; that was also unlikely as he made sure Suzaku hit him in a fatal area and Suzaku wasn't likely to miss, especially against a target that wanted to die.

Was this the afterlife then?

He was aware of the concepts of heaven and hell, but he couldn't imagine this being either of them. He used to think that the idea of the afterlife was just a construct of the human mind to alleviate the fear of death. However, with what he learned concerning the World of C, he knew this wasn't the case.

So was this the World of C?

From what he could gather from C.C., all humans inevitably go there when they die. Yet, this didn't seem like anything she described and he didn't recognize anyone around him. If he died and went to the World of C, then wouldn't he see people he knew rather than these unrecognizable faces? And why would he be in the form of a baby?

His musings were interrupted as he was quickly surrounded by a gaggle of women.

"Look at how cute he looks!"

"He's just so adorable, I could squeeze his tiny little cheeks all day!" Hearing that, the baby raised his hands, almost as if to defend himself.

"Now, now ladies, let a mother see her newborn child," the matron replied, knowing just how hyper her fellow nurses could be. She then became serious when she remembered the dying woman laying on the bed. "She's not going to last for much longer." She whispered.

The nurses quickly became somber and shuffled away to clean up the aftermath of the recent childbirth.

The matron walked over to the bed and angled the baby in her arms in a way that would allow him to see the sickly person staring at him. He looked at the woman laying on her back and felt some strange sensation stirring within.

"It's a boy," The matron told her. "A beautiful healthy baby boy. He even has your eyes."

It was true, he thought. The woman lying on the bed had the exact same shade of purple as his eyes. She even had a striking resemblance to how he looked despite how sickly she appeared. There was just something about her that he felt connected to.

The woman raised her hand towards him when he came to a startling realization.

This wasn't just any woman dying on a bed. This was his _mother_. It was impossible yet he could feel himself intrinsically linked to the person before him. His baby self yearned to be in its mother's arms. She continued to whisper something to him but he was completely distracted by his epiphany.

His attention was brought back when the woman holding him asked his mother, "What will you name him?"

He looked at his mother and could see she was struggling to speak. "I... I want to name him... after his father." He could see her almost smiling at him sadly. "He's... going to grow up... with nothing but his name."

He could do nothing but stare at the fading woman.

"Zero..."

His breath caught at hearing the name.

"His name is Zero." With a last joyful smile and a soft breath, she knew no more.

He could only stare in silence with all the emotions flooding his body. He was in shock, but he also felt an inner sadness that made his eyes tear up.

It was bizarre.

Even though he knew this woman for barely a moment, it felt like he knew her his whole life and could feel all the suffering and heartache she went through.

In the back of his mind, he knew that these were thoughts and feelings he wouldn't normally have concerning some stranger. However, after his death, he felt like a whole new person, and physically he was. Perhaps that would explain this out of character behaviour.

After the multitude of emotions passed, he began to calm down and think on his situation. If he truly was in a new body, then that meant many things.

Here was what seemed like a chance to start anew, to be someone different and unknown. If his death was a chance to start another adventure of his own choosing, then so be it; he would forge his own path.

"You're a silent one aren't you?" He looked up at the elderly woman looking down at him. "Most babies cry and cry and cry, but you're not like that are you?"

He almost shook his head and smirked when a woman nearby called out, "His bed is ready ma'am and I think we have a spare room for him on the second floor for when he's older."

"Thank you, that'll be all for now Meo. Oh wait, make sure to tell the cooks to prepare a large breakfast. Also, tell Tazo to go to the morgue to make arrangements for this poor child's mother."

Meo nodded and went to complete her tasks.

"Well little Zero, what am I going to do with you?" The matron cooingly asked.

This time, he actually did smirk.

* * *

Not much happened since then, other than him laying on his back and doing a lot of thinking.

First of all, how was he able to process information and have sophisticated thoughts if he had the brain of a week old baby? He assumed it was because of the genetics his parents here gave him or some weird phenomenon. Either way, he considered it a boon.

Another subject he contemplated was the idea of him being in a different universe. It was still a mind-rending concept, but if he was truly in another world, then he would accept his new/old identity as Zero. There was no place for Lelouch here.

He concluded that he was in a completely different world after some debate and this was only confirmed when he was carried to a window to observe a festival that was passing by outside.

He was amazed at the feats of power some of the people were performing. Most were doing intricate dances, but a few were accomplishing impossible acts such as shooting fire out of their hands, mouth, and even their feet.

He had seen such stunts before in his past, but these folks were bare from the waist up and carried no props. He could even feel the heat of the flames from where he watched above.

Try as he might, he couldn't discern what method they were using to make fire appear out of nowhere.

"You like watching the fires don't you Zero?" Ayumi, one of the nurses, cooed. "You see those guys shooting fire out of their hands?" She pointed at the men he was observing intensely. "Those are firebenders."

He looked at her with a curious gaze.

"Firebending is one of the four elemental bending arts. It's the only one that allows the bender to make their own element." She lectured. "Lots of people can firebend, but I can't. You have to be born with it." she pouted. "Maybe one day you can be like them too."

He stared at her for a moment before looking back at the so called firebenders. The longer he watched, the more he accepted the fact that what Ayumi told him was true.

Elemental manipulation? It was preposterous, yet the proof lay in front of him on that dusty street. If it was true, then he really was in a different world.

That realization should've frightened him; it surely would to any other man in his situation. However, all he could feel was a rising sense of excitement and thrill. Here he was in a new environment that ran under completely different rules. The possibilities were endless.

There was so much he could learn!

How did the society here function? Is it all under one nation under one rule, or is it divided? How did the physics here work and what allowed the people here to control the elements? How advanced is their technology? What other supernatural things awaited him in this world? Did everyone speak under one language or were there many others?

He felt like a child being handed a key to a room full of candy; a room that he knew he would definitely open.

Zero was so excited he never realized that he pooped his pants.

"Eww... Did you go poo poo again? Let's go clean you up..."

* * *

"Hey Zero, go clean up your mess." A taller young boy ordered him from across the room.

Zero looked over and saw what appeared to be a turned over table with food scattered across the floor. Billy, the obvious perpetrator, stood over his mess looking at him with a smug look on his face.

"Hellooo, earth to Zeroooooooo, is anybody home in there?" The boy called out to him. "Come over here and clean this mess up."

Zero sighed as he left the room while shaking his head. He knew the idiot would follow him and try to attack him. He tended to attract bullies like moths to a fire.

He swiftly walked over by the stairs awaiting his pursuer. As soon as the bully came around the corner, he positioned himself.

"I'm gonna show you why you shouldn't ignore me!" Billy roared as he rushed towards Zero.

As soon as the boy came within range, Zero moved aside and stuck his foot out. Predictably, he tripped and tumbled down the stairs, landing in a heap at the bottom.

"Aghh.." Billy moaned.

Zero quickly moved away from the scene of the crime to avoid being caught. No one had seen him so he could easily claim to have been in his room the entire time.

It was a shame that he had to resort to such juvenile methods in dealing with Billy, but he was quite bullheaded and stubborn. Previously, Zero orchestrated events that would deter him and his bullying ways. He had set up situations where Billy would be blamed for something and consequently spanked and punished. He still kept coming anyway, but perhaps this time it would take longer before he came back. He would be ready and waiting; he wasn't a baby anymore after all.

It had been four years since he first arrived in this world and much had changed since then.

He may still be small, but he was no longer tiny or helpless. After that grueling year of dealing with uncontrollable urges to shit, piss and vomit, he felt like he could finally begin his journey.

During the early stages of being unable to do anything, he started planning for his future. In his old world, even at the age of eighteen, he was considered a prodigy.

Now however... that exact same mind resided in the body of a child.

He could've hidden his intellect until he was much older, but what good would that do? It was much more advantageous to reveal his genius at a younger age to receive better treatment and opportunities. With that in mind, he spoke his first word a couple months after his arrival and by the time he was a year old he was speaking entire sentences; that was the amount of time it took for him to get used to his baby body's vocal chords. Within half a year, he was able to walk.

Many of the caretakers at the orphanage were baffled at just how fast he was developing. Some nights he could hear hushed whispers from the custodians discussing his apparent growth. This was especially the case a year ago when they found an interesting skill of his.

Even now, he could still remember that conversation...

* * *

"He's going to be special when he's older, I can feel it."

"Pshh, I bet his growth is nothing but a fluke. He'll probably be a nobody." Tazo, one of the caretakers scoffed.

"If I had any money, I would take that bet." Ayumi, having just walked into the room carrying tea, replied.

"Well, if you don't have any money, perhaps you could offer something else." Tazo leered at her.

Ayumi blushed a bright red when another nurse chimed in, "Oh stop teasing the poor girl. Did you know she's still a virgin?"

"Meo!"

"Alright enough of that before Ayumi turns into a tomato," the matron interjected. "Anyways, we were talking about Zero weren't we?"

"Yes, the prodigious genius who will one day grow up to change the fire nation forever." Tazo mocked.

"You say that now, but did you know that just last night, I found him in the yard playing with fire?" the matron asked.

"So what, Vorra?" Tazo lazily asked the matron.

"He was playing with fire that he conjured himself." Vorra replied with a gleam in her eye.

"What?"

"That was the reason I called us together for. To discuss the fact that we have here the youngest firebender in history!" Vorra exclaimed.

Tazo and everyone else sat back stunned.

"The Fire Lord's son Ozai didn't start firebending until the age of six. Zero is three! I've arranged for some people from the capital to come here to confirm. I even heard a fire sage is coming!"

Everyone there looked at each other in shock as Zero who was eavesdropping outside walked away with a smirk on his face.

* * *

It was an interesting experience when those evaluators arrived to assess him. They asked him to perform simple tasks and maneuvers. Needless to say, he passed with flying colors.

Years ago, when he first witnessed firebenders, he committed to memory every move they made in the hopes that it would be useful further down the road. He was right of course, and it gave him the needed edge to begin learning firebending.

He was ecstatic when he first learned that he could firebend. He had been in his room trying to re-enact what he saw during that festival years ago, concentrating with all his focus. He couldn't seem to do it and was on the verge of giving up when he remembered an old philosophy about inner energies.

It took him several tries, but within a couple days, he was shooting fire out of his hands. They were very small flames, but it showed that he had the capability.

The evaluators praised him for his aptitude and promised him an early chance to attend schools for firebending. According to them, there were several schools in the fire nation he could choose from that taught the art. Unfortunately, they weren't cheap. As a young orphan with no financial means, his hopes for learning the craft were crushed. He was assured by the fire benders that as soon as he had at least half the gold for the costs, they would pay the rest and accept him at any school he desired.

It seemed that being the youngest firebender in history wasn't enough to cover all expenses for firebending schooling. They told him that most firebenders learn the art much later in life than where he currently was, so he had a lot of time.

They left soon afterwards, leaving Zero to scheme ways of earning money. He was still very young, so no one would take his desire for wealth seriously. There was only so much a three year old orphan could do.

With that in mind, he resolved to lay aside his quest for gold and focused on continuing to learn more about this world. He found out that there was a small library in the orphanage that no one really used. He'd spend much of his time asking for scrolls to peruse whenever he wasn't at one of matron Vorra's weekly lectures. His first three years had been under her tender care.

From Vorra, he learned the basics of this world.

The civilization here was divided into four nations: the Water Tribes, the Earth Kingdom, the Air Nomads, and the Fire Nation. The four nations based their societies on their own natural element and within each nation there existed people known as 'benders'.

These benders had the ability to manipulate the corresponding elements of their nation. Apparently, no bender could control more than one element; none but the Avatar had the capability. Why this was the case, Zero did not know, but he planned on finding out.

The Avatar supposedly kept balance among the four nations, but the last Avatar died nearly a hundred years ago when Fire Lord Sozin instigated the Great War; a war that still continued today. From what he could understand, it seemed Sozin started a major global military conflict in an attempt to expand the Fire Nation into a worldwide empire.

Zero found it hilariously ironic that he died leaving a dictatorial empire only to land in another one. This one was far less technologically advanced however, but more exceptional in different ways. Elemental manipulation was no laughing matter after all.

During the war, the Fire Nation wiped out the Air Nomads, conquered much of the Earth Kingdom, and neutralized the southern Water Tribe. Say what you would about the Fire Nation, but no one could deny that they were successful. However, Zero thought that he could've accomplished all that and more in far less than the many decades it took.

Perhaps one day he could show them how it's done.

Zero learned many other things during his time here, such as how people communicated. Luckily for him, the residents of this world utilized only one language across all four nations, and it was one he was familiar with. It seemed with the Avatar constantly 'maintaining the balance', the four nations eventually dissolved any language barriers early on.

He found technology to be quite primitive here when he found citizens sending messages through messenger hawks. He would've been amused the first time he witnessed it if it weren't for the damned hawk pecking him.

Much of civilization here was archaic, at least to his standards. In many ways, it was comparable to a primeval version of Britannia. Even the currencies used resemble those of older times. Here, people used gold, silver and bronze to denote wealth. He'd have to change that someday and introduce the paper bill; carrying around all those heavy metals must be tedious.

Despite finding this world lacking, one aspect Zero did enjoy was the cuisine. It wasn't often that he was able to try out completely new dishes, so when he first tasted the meals here, he was quite surprised. He appreciated the food enough that he even decided to learn the recipes from the cooks; they found him adorable and would often indulge his requests. Zero was a man of many talents and he was determined to add culinary skill to the list.

Speaking of food, he remembered about lunch just as he heard his stomach grumble.

Standing up, Zero left his room and walked down the stairs heading towards the dining hall. Entering the room, he saw everyone already in their seats eating merrily and conversing noisily.

He found an empty chair next to a nine year old boy who looked up as soon as he sat down. "I heard what you did to Billy by the stairs," the boy smirked. "That was awesome. Billy was crying about it all morning and he even went to tell on you."

"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about Zadd," Zero dismissingly replied. "I was in my room all morning."

"Yeah, that's what the caretakers said. Seems like you get away with it again." Zadd smiled.

Zero felt like ignoring the young boy beside him, but he realized that Zadd never once bothered him during his time here at the orphanage, so he decided to entertain him. "Are you disappointed?"

"No! Hell no! Actually, I admire you quite a lot." Zadd admitted. "Even though you're five years younger, I feel like you're older than me. You're smarter than any other kid here and you can even firebend. That's like, so cool you know."

"I'm sure..."

"Yeah, you're cool man! You're like... special, even the adults say so." Zadd exclaimed. "Hey, if you need anything, feel free to ask me. I'll help with anything you need, I'll even call you 'boss'!"

Zero looked at the boy with a curious gaze and asked, "Why?"

Zadd rubbed the back of his head and sheepishly replied, "Well, before you came here, Billy used to bully me a lot. So... I think I owe you for taking his attention away from me and dealing with him. You also helped me and the other kids with homework that one night, and that was cool too." he beamed. "So if you need anything, just ask!"

Zero stared at him for a moment longer before looking back to his plate. "Alright, I'll keep that in mind."

Indeed, he did as he said and filed away the conversation for further consideration. The boy could be planning to do something to him but he doubted it; his genius intellect often alienated him from a few of the other orphans, but Zadd never seemed bothered. Perhaps he could be a potential ally after all, one whose usefulness he'd yet to determine.

"Thanks boss!" Zadd cheerfully replied before digging into his meal.

Zero shook his head and proceeded to eat while listening to the conversations of those around him.

"Lovely weather we're having today aren't we Ayumi?" Tazo asked the person two seats to his left. "A nice day for a man and a woman to take a walk and enjoy the sweet summer breeze, maybe eat at a nice restaurant afterwards."

Ayumi remained silent.

"Just give up Tazo." Meo said in between the two. "It's been two months, she's not going to take you back."

"It was one time! And I'm really sorry about it. It won't happpen again I swear it."

"One time is still one too many, so you need to stop with your pestering."

Tazo sighed, "Alright, alright, but this isn't the end of it!"

"Like hell it isn't..." Ayumi muttered.

"Look, there's a festival that's going on, how abo-"

"I thought I told you to stop pestering her!"

"Yes, but look, there's this big festival happening by the town center and I think we should go! It wouldn't have to be just us two, we could even take everyone out for the festivities!" Tazo insisted.

"What's this I hear about a festival?" Vorra asked after overhearing the conversation.

"There's this big festival going on at the town center tomorrow, and lots of people will be there. I heard the budget on it was pretty huge." Tazo replied.

"Why would there be a big festival at this time of the year?" Meo asked. "I don't think there's anything special happening tomorrow, no holiday I can think of."

"Yes, what's the occasion?"

"Haven't you heard? Prince Ozai's wife recently gave birth and festivals are being held all around the Fire Nation in honor of their new daughter. I think it would be a treat for everyone if we all go."

Overhearing that, Zero nearly scoffed at the presumptuousness of the ruling family. Of course they would have the whole nation dedicate an entire day to celebrate the birth of a royal. No doubt the girl would grow up to be a spoiled brat.

"Hmm... well, the kids have been rather agitated lately." The matron mused. "Perhaps it would be a good idea to have them go to this festival and have some fun."

"Great! So it's settled then. Tomorrow, we're all going to the festival?"

"Yes, yes, now come help us clean the dishes."

Finishing his meal, Zero stood up and went to the yard to do some firebending. If he was going to spend an entire day doing nothing at a festival tomorrow, he might as well get some practice in.

* * *

 **That's a wrap, and Azula is born. Hopefully, that'll give you an idea of when in the timeline this is happening. Until next time, and thanks for reading.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Heyo.**

 **I've been catching up on a lot of tv shows recently and I had jury duty, so I've been a bit distracted; there really is a lot of good tv shows out there.**

 **However, the story must go on, so here's the next chapter.**

* * *

Much of the Fire Nation's economy was built through industry and its gains in war. Before the Fire Nation began its world domination, it experienced an industrial revolution heralding an advancement in both manufacturing and vehicular technology. Soon enough, the Fire Nation became more powerful than any of the others.

A majority of its technologies consisted of metal and were often fueled by burning coal. The massive war effort largely influenced the structure of the Fire Nation today.

Many of its cities became industrialized and factories soon emerged, attracting a myriad of people looking for work. Eventually, these cities became central aspects of the Fire Nation.

North Chung-Ling was one of those cities and also the place where Zero currently resided.

He hadn't seen much of the city as he mainly stayed within the confines of the orphanage but, every now and then, he was given a chance to explore and experience his surroundings.

Today was the day of Princess Azula's festival and everyone in the orphanage was taken out to enjoy the festivities. Some of the children grumbled and wanted to stay inside, but most were excited and couldn't wait to go.

Zero was indifferent.

He had attended numerous galas, balls, feasts and festivals in his previous life so it bore no significance to him. Nonetheless, strolling through the streets of the city provided him with feelings of nostalgia.

Much of the architecture reminded him of an old era Japan with its buildings made of wood and stone along with its unique designs. The roofs were all painted in warm colors with red being the most common.

He vaguely recalled his time in Area Eleven with Nunnally and Suzaku where they remarked on the buildings and how they were so different from the ones in Britannia. Those were good times, he remembered, but he'd made peace with his past life and tried not to dwell on such thoughts.

Coming back to the present, he looked around him and took in all the sights and smells.

There were quite a few children in the orphanage and so he found himself in a smaller group consisting of Tazo and Meo, two of the caretakers, as well as the young Zadd who followed him.

On both sides of their group, various stands lined the long stretch of the road. Many sold a wide variety of trinkets and tools one would use in daily life, but others offered warm meals to satiate hungry stomachs. Behind these stalls stood their owners with wicked glimmers in their eyes as they watched all who passed by.

"Come right up and have a taste of my famous Komodo chicken! Seasoned and roasted to perfection, it's a taste you'll never forget! Order two plates now and get a third for half the price!"

"Don't listen to that man," a man from a stall on the other side of the road exclaimed. "Komodo chicken is a thing of the past; Komodo rhino is the new flavour in town and it's here to stay! Come over here instead and have a bite of this delicious meat! I'll even throw in a limited edition rhino figurine for the kiddies!"

Zero looked at the offered plates from both stands and was quite tempted to stop their procession just to order some of the delicious smelling food. It was times like these that he was reminded of how amazing the cuisine of this world was.

"They're both wrong! Everyone knows that to taste true heaven, you must indulge yourself in truly exotic dishes." A crazed bandana wearing young man shouted. "Come over here and try out this delicious Smoked Sea Slug coated in squid ink and rice! It'll keep you healthy and, for men, keep you quite virile!"

On the other hand, the cuisine here could be quite baffling.

"What does virile mean?" Zadd, ever the curious young boy asked.

"It's the very thing that keeps the will of fire going strong in a man." Tazo wisely replied. "In fact, it's the very fire that I used to stoke Ayumi's oven."

"Tazo!" Meo yelled. "He's just a child!"

"A child who will one day grow up to be a man, and if he does not learn now, then when will he?" Tazo asked. "Were any of you girls planning to give the boys the Talk?"

"W-well, no but... I mean, he's just... Zero's right there!" Meo stuttered.

"Oh him? He'll be fine. He's already walked in on Ayumi and I once."

"WHAT?"

"Lower your voice woman. Anyways, he walked in on us and told us to keep it down." Tazo said. "When I went to talk to him about it later, it turns out he already knew all about sex. He even gave me some interesting pointers strangely enough." Tazo rubbed his chin. "You were right, he is a smart kid, aren't you lad?"

Zero stared at him blankly.

"You finally agree that he's smart only after finding out that he knows about sex?" Meo asked incredulously.

"Of course." Tazo answered. "When a boy as young as Zero understands the complexities of what goes on between a man and a woman, well... he can only be genius!"

"Men..." Meo muttered while shaking her head.

"In fact, I take it as my sacred duty to take him as my protegee and teach him more about the finer sex!" Tazo gleefully announced.

"No you will not. Over my dead body you letch!" Meo angrily proclaimed.

"As much as I appreciate your proposition, I'll have to say no thanks." Zero dryly declined.

Despite outwardly refusing his offer, Zero found a small part of himself intrigued. He was no stranger to the concept of sex, but he had never actively participated in it himself.

In the eighteen years he lived in his past life, he had not once shared his bed with another. C.C. was an exception as she disliked sleeping alone but, in actuality, he was a virgin.

This was not due to a lack of willing females, oh no. He had often found women throwing themselves at him, seeing him as some kind of beautiful specimen. He even recalled having a fan club back at Ashford Academy.

There had been no shortage of opportunities in which to indulge himself in more hedonistic urges. However, after being betrayed by the royal family and his father, he found it hard to trust in anyone else. He had refused to sleep with anyone he didn't absolutely trust, and those had already been few in number as it was.

That wasn't to say he had no interest in the concept, he had been a growing teenage boy after all. Like all things that piqued his curiosity, he researched and studied it thoroughly. On occasion, he had teased and caressed women when he wanted something from them, but he never went all the way.

With this chance at a whole new life, perhaps that could one day change.

"See? At least one male can think with the right head." Meo sighed in relief.

Zadd merely looked back and forth in puzzlement.

Tazo noticed Zadd's confusion and patted his head. "Don't worry lad, you'll understand when the time comes."

The boy turned towards Zero and asked, "What were they talking 'bout boss?"

"Just adult things Zadd," Zero replied. "There is no need to concern yourself with such matters for now."

With a nod, their group continued down the road to the center where they were to meet up with everyone else.

Soon enough, they could see a congregation of people standing by a large stall that was selling various items. Zero could see some of the children buying inane toys while some of the adults were purchasing an assortment of gadgets, ornaments, jewelry and other novelties.

"Hey everyone, we're here!" Tazo yelled towards them.

"It's about time you arrived," Vorra, the matron of the orphanage, called out. "The sun is high in the sky already, and everyone's getting hungry." She pointed to an elegant looking building nearby. "There's a nice restaurant over there that Ayumi recommended. We're going to eat there."

"Well if Ayumi suggested it, then it must be good." Tazo said.

"Oh quit your prostrating and come along."

Their group entered the sleek restaurant and quickly noticed that it was a buffet. With drooling mouths, everyone piled their plates with mountains of food and dug in.

"Take your time kids, it's not often we get to eat at a fancy restaurant. We're not made of money you know." Vorra reminded.

"Well, it's a good thing that it's twenty-five percent off now innit?" Tazo muttered in between bites. "Princess Azula's festival is useful after all."

"Yes, everyone seems to be enjoying themselves. I haven't seen the city this active in a long time."

"Yeah, there's lots of people outside. There's a bunch of activities the organizers setup for the kids to enjoy you know."

"Oh? Like what?" Vorra asked.

"There's an area that's setup with tons of board games near the post office. I heard there's gambling going on over there as well." Tazo replied. "There's also several games of kuai ball setup by the shore, and I heard that some kids were playing Hide and Explode over there as well." Tazo paused. "But Zero would probably be the only one who could do that one."

"Well Zero? Would you like to do that?" Vorra kindly asked him.

"Not at all," Zero replied. It wasn't just the fact that he didn't know what the rules of Hide and Explode were, but it sounded like something he wouldn't exactly enjoy. "I'd rather go and do the gambling part."

"That's what I'm talking about!" Tazo laughed. "A man after my own heart. Say, I'll take you over there myself and teach you the ways of the hustler!"

"There'll be none of that Tazo," Vorra sternly stated. "I've heard from Meo about your corrupting influence and I won't have it. I'll be accompanying Zero from now on."

"Suit yourself you old hag." Tazo grumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing!"

"Good, now you better start eating your food or that loud mouth of yours will keep on yapping."

After a while, everyone finished up their meals and headed outside the door.

"Okay everyone, go out there and have some fun, but remember to meet back at our rendezvous at sunset." Vorra ordered. "We wouldn't want to miss the firebending show now would we?"

With a chorus of agreements, everyone went their separate ways. Zero was still in the same group with the exception of Tazo who had been replaced by the elderly matron.

"Well, where are we off to boys?" Vorra asked him and Zadd.

"I'm going to go by the post office where Tazo said the gambling was taking place." Zero replied.

"I knew he would be a bad influence." Meo sighed. "Shouldn't have had him sit next to Tazo."

"Well, it doesnt matter now." Vorra said. "How 'bout you Zadd?"

"I'll go wherever Zero goes." He answered.

Both Meo and Vorra sighed.

"Very well, off we go then."

* * *

The board games and gambling area was located in the town's center so their group took a casual approach in reaching their destination. As they leisurely walked through the streets of North Chung-Ling, they watched the various roadside street peddlers try to entice passers-by.

One caught Zero's eye and they stopped to look at a man sitting on the floor surrounded by a small crowd of people. In front of him was a small wooden table with three wooden coconut shaped cups.

The man then proceeded to move the cups around, eventually stopping and gesturing towards his customer, challenging him to choose the cup with the pebble underneath. Predictably, the dealer won and took his winnings from the grumbling citizen.

Zero had seen such things before and knew that the dealer was merely utilizing a variation of the cups and balls trick. It took a lot of practise and required skill in sleight of hand. Feeling bored, Zero decided to stay and observe; he wasn't the only one.

"It's gonna be in the right one." Zadd said.

"Nah, it's in the middle one." Meo countered.

Zero knew the truth as he scrutinized the switch with narrowed eyes. The dealer had discreetly placed a pebble under each cup during the swaps. All the cups had a pebble underneath.

"You're correct sir, you won! How about another round but this time we raise the stakes five fold?" The greedy customer nodded his head. "Excellent! Now let's do round two!"

It was very subtle, but Zero caught the dealer secretly moving all the pebbles under his sleeves mid switch. There was no pebble under any of the cups.

"The left one."

"I'm afraid you got it wrong sir. Perhaps you would like to try again?"

The scammed citizen groaned and walked away while the dealer chuckled.

"I'd like to try my hand at this game." Zero said after some consideration.

His caretakers and Zadd looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"Aren't you a little too young to be gambling boy?" the dealer asked him.

"You don't have to be old to be lucky." Zero replied with a sinister smile.

"Truer words have never been spoken. Now come forward."

Zero sat in front of the man and proceeded to play the game. He took out a silver coin from a small pouch he carried and placed it on the table. As he predicted, the first round ended in his favor.

"Ah, you were right afterall, luck does play a big part in this." The dealer rubbed his chin dramatically. "But I'm not one to give up, so how about another round, say... twenty silver pieces?"

"Thirty and it's a deal." Zero replied, gesturing to his pouch. He didn't really have thirty silver pieces but the dealer didn't need to know that, and he was confident in his success anyways.

The dealer smiled and placed thirty silver pieces on the table. He then proceeded to rapidly move the cups back and forth. After a moment, he stopped and gestured towards Zero.

"I think... that the pebble is under..." Zero seemingly pondered. "Your sleeves."

"I'm sorry sir, I'm afr- huh?"

"The pebble is under your sleeves." Zero repeated as he, one by one, lifted the three empty shells. "Did I not correctly guess where the pebble was located?"

The dealer leaned back in shock, inadvertently allowing the pebbles to slip out of his sleeves.

"And with that, I think I win good sir." Zero smirked as he reached out for his winnings under the murmur of the small crowd around him.

"No! NO! I'm not giving you anything!" the dealer angrily exclaimed.

Zero looked at the hand blocking him from his earnings and took a deep breath. He then coldly stared at the man in front of him.

"Listen to me and listen well, dealer. Judging by the work pants you're wearing, I can tell you work in a local factory and judging by the number on that factory issued bag you're carrying, I know you work at factory F23 by the east hill." Zero stated without breaking eye contact. "If you don't hand me my winnings, I will report you to the local authorities and you will not only lose your job, but you will also have a nice extended vacation in jail."

The dealer quickly paled under his threats.

"If that isn't enough to convince you, then I should tell you that I recall the faces of the many angry citizens you scammed out of their hard earned money. I can have them informed of your treacherous dealings and soon enough, you WILL be hunted down."

Zero raised his hand.

"Or, if you're looking for something more immediate, I can personally convince you myself."

A small flame ignited within his palm and, if it weren't for the bright star in the sky, would have cast a fearsome shadow on Zero's face.

"Okay! Okay! Take my money and just leave!" the dealer yelled as he quickly stood up and ran away.

Zero looked at the pouches the man left behind. "Well, looks like I got more than I bargained for."

"Holy crap Zero, that was awesome!" Zadd exclaimed. "How'd you do that?"

"I didn't just stay at the orphanage doing nothing you know; I learned a lot about this city and how its people work. Once you figure that out, you can accomplish many things. Also, you need money to make more money."

"Man, remind me to never get on your bad side." Zadd said in admiration.

"Duly noted. Now help me with all these coins." Zero gestured towards the pouches that were left behind.

Soon enough, they were back on the road towards their original destination with Zadd chatting with Meo and he with Vorra.

"That was quite impressive Zero" Vorra praised him with an indecipherable expression. "I think your mother would be proud; I mean, not of your gambling, but of how you handled it."

"With threats?" Zero asked with a brow raised.

"No. With strength Zero. Your mother told me of her struggles in the few hours I knew her, and she couldn't be described as anything but strong." She told him. "She would be proud to see that she passed that trait down onto you."

"You've never talked much about her before, why tell me now?" Zero inquired.

"I guess seeing you handle yourself reminded me of her strength and how mature you are. I guess it's time I tell you of the few things I know about her." the elderly woman admitted.

Zero remained silent as he waited for Vorra to recollect herself. He was quite interested to hear anything about his heritage here. Perhaps there would be something that would be pertinent.

"Her name was Ina." the matron started. "She was a beautiful woman, even with how weak she was when we first met. You have your mother's eyes you know." she smiled. "Apparently, she was married to a firebender, your father, and he was very powerful."

Zero didn't find that hard to believe; he had a tendency of having powerful fathers.

"However, he attracted the wrong kind of attention from his enemies, and they tried to kill him a few times. Eventually, one of their attempts succeeded and that was the day I met your mother." Vorra looked away in thought. "A pale little thing she was, she hid for hours after your father was killed and only came out when she felt you pushing. The hospital was far away, but we were nearby, so you ended up being with us."

"Did she say anything about any relatives, any family?" Zero asked.

"No, she barely had the strength to tell me her name and situation, but it didn't seem like it; she had a lonely air about her." Vorra looked up. "But enough of all this gloom, we're here."

In front of them were a large amount of tables spread out in a wide open area bustling with people. There were various board games being played on the tables, but Zero noticed that a majority were played on one specific type.

Zero looked at Zadd carrying a couple pouches of the silver he earned and told him and Meo that they could have one pouch to spend as they wish as long as they kept the other safe. They both nodded and went off to go play the various games.

Zero turned to Vorra and pointed out the board game that a majority of the people were playing. "What game is that they're playing?"

Vorra looked at where he was pointing and replied, "Oh, that's Pai Sho. It's quite popular."

"Can you explain the rules to me?"

They approached a table nearby where a game of Pai Sho was being played. As the match went on, Vorra explained the various rules and intricacies of the game. Soon enough, Zero felt that he had a good understanding of how it worked; now he just needed to see how he would fare against others.

Looking around the various tables in the area, he spotted a Pai Sho table with an open seat. Sitting on the other chair was a man who looked to be in his fifties, sporting a grey beard and expensive looking clothes. Strangely enough, the man was staring directly at him.

Making up his mind, he told Vorra of his intentions and left her by a bar in order to approach the man and ask to play against him.

"By all means," the man gestured to the chair opposite him. "Come play. The name's Xuo by the way." Xuo looked at him with a strange expression as he sat down.

"Zero."

"Ah, well, pleasure to meet you Zero." Xuo stated with a hint of... disappointment?

"Not to spoil anything but, aren't you a little too young to be gambling?" Xuo asked, parroting the previous gambling opponent Zero faced.

"Are you afraid of losing to a four year old?" Zero goaded.

"Hmph, kids these days have no respect for their elders." Xuo huffed. He soon smiled and pointed at the board. "Well then, let's see which is superior, the old or the young."

What followed was a long game of two intellectuals battling out on a small wooden board. What Zero lacked in experience, he more than covered with ingenuity and the abilty to adapt to any situation. His opponent was no slouch, but Zero knew he would emerge victorious.

However, in the end, he let Xuo win.

"Ha! I win this time kiddo!" the old man exclaimed, collecting the agreed upon bet.

"Let's have a rematch old man, but this time, we triple the bet." Zero said, trying to sound like a petulant child in order to goad the man.

"Fine, fine, more money for me!"

With a mischievous smile, Zero setup the board for another round.

The match proceeded exactly as he predicted and, after a much shorter period, he won with ease. He had a smug smile on his face as he collected his earnings.

"Well played young one, well played." Xuo praised as he finally realized what transpired. "You know, I haven't been duped like that in a long time. How about we do a couple more rounds?"

"You sure you have enough money for that?" Zero asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Boy, do you know who I am? Nevermind, you probably don't being so young, but I'll have you know that I am the sole owner of Intel Corp." Xuo looked at Zero expecting a shocked or amazed response. When none came, he sighed. "It's the company in charge of all the Post Offices in the world amongst other things. It specializes in communication across nations, but that isn't the point I'm trying to get at. The point is, I have all the money in the world to spend."

"So why's a rich big shot like you sitting at a table playing against some kid?" Zero inquired.

Xuo sighed and looked away. "My wife passed a couple weeks ago, some freak accident I'm told. Even though we never got along, she was all I had left." Xuo looked back at him with that same strange expression he first witnessed. "I had two children you see, but they're both dead, so I got no family left. I decided that I needed some new scenery and moved to this island."

"And now you're here playing a game of Pai Sho against a four year old." Zero said after a moment.

"A very smart four year old, I'll give him that." Xuo smiled. "So how about having a go at a couple more rounds? No bets this time, just two intellectuals enjoying a nice warm day over a game of Pai Sho."

After pondering the matter, Zero made his decision.

* * *

Hours later, Vorra reminded him that they were to meet up with everyone else as it was nearing sunset. After bidding farewell to Xuo and promising to meet again, Zero was on his way.

A short walk later, they arrived at the rendezvous.

"How did your day go?" Tazo asked upon seeing the approaching group.

"It was pretty cool, Zero earned lots of money gambling and even gave me some to spend!" Zadd replied.

"Seriously? Nice, we'll make a hustler out of you yet." Tazo bumped Zero's shoulder.

"No corrupting the innocent please and thank you." Meo admonished.

"He's far from innocent you know; remember what I told you abou-"

"Alright, that's enough from you Tazo." Vorra interjected. "The fire show is about to start and we'll miss it if we stay here all day."

With that said, they walked for several minutes over to an area where several firebenders were standing. After the surrounding area was filled with people, the firebenders moved and the show started.

It began slowly, with low simmering flames circling the firebenders, almost caressing their forms, before it expanded outwards in a spiraling manner. The circular flames rose high into the air before the firebenders below each raised their hands and fired a continuous stream of flame at several points along the flaming circle's circumference.

As the firebenders continued to pump more fire in their blasts, each individual stream grew to the point where it began to overlap with others. Soon enough, they combined to become one giant pillar of roaring flame that could be seen from anywhere in the city.

When the firebenders lowered their hands, the pillar of flame seemingly flowed outwards from the top down to the bottom. As the fire splashed across the ground, a few onlookers cried out as it neared them before it was reeled back towards the center in one big giant ball.

The firebenders once more raised their hands and the ball of flame rose high into the sky before, with a sharp jabbing motion, the firebenders released their hold on the fire and it exploded in a bright burst that lit up the sky.

The crowd began to cheer and clap as the firebenders once more began another intricate dance.

Meanwhile, Zero intensely stared at every movement the firebenders made.

What was it about those motions that caused fire to erupt from one's body parts? Was it needed to create flame?

Zero knew that much of firebending involved channeling inner energies, or chi as they call it, into one's limbs. But were the motions truly necessary? It would be amazing if he could sit still and randomly shoot fire out of his neck or something; it could quite possibly be useful in the future.

Perhaps the circular motions and sharp jabs allowed for easier flow of chi throughout the body. He certainly felt like it was easier to firebend when he went through the motions. But maybe that was a misconception, or a preconceived notion that no one ever questioned.

If you were taught at a young age that you had to do these motions in order to bend, then eventually no one would think otherwise. It had to be possible to do it without moving, he just knew it!

Looking at a streak of flame that passed by near him, he was reminded of something else he wanted to try. Stretching out his hand, Zero focused his chi on one of the flames and willed it back towards its owner with a sharp flick.

The flame quickly turned around and headed towards its caster before the firebender quickly noticed it and waved his hand to redirect it upwards. The flame then dissipated and the firebender returned to his place in the dance.

It was quick and unnoticeable to the crowd, but for Zero, it meant that he could control others' flames after all. With a smirk, he leaned back and continued to enjoy the show.

* * *

"Well, I think everyone had fun, don't you agree?"

The only responses the elderly matron received were mutters and groans as everyone shuffled towards their room to get some much needed rest.

Zero was sitting on one of the chairs with his head back and his eyes closed as the rest limped by; he was quite tired he'd admit. He'd done a lot of walking the past few hours, and having a four year old body didn't exactly help. He was reminded of how he would need to work on getting his body in fit physical shape this time around.

"C'mon now Zero, up to bed." Vorra kindly told him. "You look tired and a young boy like you needs his sleep."

"I will, just... give me a moment to relax on this chair."

The matron nodded and walked off to leave him be.

It wasn't for very long as Vorra strode back with an intrigued look on her face. "There's a man out here to see you Zero, and he wants to talk to you."

His curiosity piqued, Zero stood up and followed the caretaker into a room with a familiar old man as its sole occupant.

"I told you we'd see each other again Zero."

"Xuo! What're you doing here?" he asked.

"Well, I haven't been completely honest with you," Xuo leaned back in his chair with a solemn expression. "I've actually been looking for you for quite some time."

Zero didn't know what to say, so he simply remained quiet. People often talked more openly when they were the only one filling the silence.

"Remember when I told you about my wife and children and how they were dead? Well, that part was true, but there was more to it." The old man closed his eyes as if recalling a painful memory. "I had two daughters, born one year apart. I loved them with everything I had but when my eldest turned five, we decided to go on vacation to Ember Island." Xuo inhaled as if he was in pain. "While we were on a boat I looked a way for one moment... one moment and... it was only a moment!" the old man sobbed.

Zero continued to look at Xuo as he weeped.

"My youngest she... she fell off the boat... in my moment of distraction. A single moment of distraction ruined me." Xuo whispered. "My wife, she... she never forgave me and we ended up hating each other for a long time. We quarreled constantly and we would sometimes take it out on our only daughter. Eventually, she had enough of her parents fighting and left."

The old man sniffed and wiped at his face with a handkerchief. In this moment, the broken man looked every single year of his age.

"It was only recently that I heard that she died in this city." Xuo looked at him then. "Ina, my beautiful daughter, died... but not before she gave birth to a child; a child with her unique violet eyes."

Vorra looked back and forth between the two in confusion.

"Zero... you are my daughter's only son and my last living heir."

* * *

 **Welp. That happened.**

 **It's a bit of a pain writing Zero's early years to be honest, but its necessary setup for things in the future. Ah well, it is what it is.**

 **Until next time...**


	4. Chapter 4

**I didn't realize it's been a month since I last updated, but I've been a bit lazy. Rest assured though that I will keep updating. I've had quite a bit of this story planned out since before I wrote the first chapter, from the beginning to how it ends, and some things that will happen in between. In fact, it's actually why I previously considered making this just a one-shot originally because I knew if I continued, I'd have a long journey ahead of me in writing it all down. Good thing I'm pretty stubborn.**

 **Anyways, we left off with Xuo proclaiming to be Zero's grandfather and from there we shall continue.**

* * *

Disbelief.

That one word summed up how Zero felt at that moment, and it was very likely that the elderly matron beside him felt the same. Judging by Vorra's open mouthed expression, she seemed to believe Xuo's revelation.

Looking back at Xuo, the old man seemed to recline back in his chair with a melancholy yet patient expression on his face as if allowing a moment of silence to pass. Xuo probably assumed that he needed time to deal with the shock his revelation caused. While this was true for Vorra, it was not the case with Zero. He had long since passed the point where he would allow emotions to halt his thought processes.

It was not shock that he felt, but suspicion.

Was he supposed to believe that this man was his grandfather simply from his word alone? With the current technologies available in the world, there was no way for him to prove that they were biologically related with absolute certainty. There were no such things as DNA tests and he doubted that they kept medical records such as birth certificates around and, even if they did, they were likely easily faked.

This man met him only hours ago, yet now claimed to be his grandfather. It was an incredible occurrence and one that deserved some consideration.

With short cropped hair, brown eyes, a crooked nose, and a grey beard, Xuo looked nothing at all like him. This could be explained away by his old age, but he still found it hard to see any resemblance.

So far the only proof that Xuo was who he claimed to be was the fact that he apparently knew the name of his mother and the color of her eyes. Her eye color could have been guessed by looking at his own so that proved nothing. Xuo had mentioned that Ina was the name of his daughter, thus making him his grandson, but that might have just been a ruse as well.

Earlier during their games over Pai Sho, the old man had claimed to be an international communication magnate, so perhaps he knew beforehand who his mother was with the wealth of information at his fingertips. However, Xuo's background could have all been lies as well. With no fool-proof way of finding the truth, he began to follow a different line of questioning.

Supposing Xuo was not who he claimed to be, then what was he doing here?

By coming here to the orphanage and claiming to be his biological grandfather, it most likely meant that he had intentions of adopting him. Going by the assumption that everything Xuo told him from the start was false, then the situation simply changed to an old man wanting to pick up a young boy he just met. While the connotation of such a thing was quite disturbing, he doubted it to be the case and even if it was, he was more than capable of defending himself.

On the other hand, if what Xuo told him during their Pai Sho games were true, but they weren't actually biologically related, then that only begged the question of why a rich man would want to adopt a child stranger.

Had the man been impressed by his intellect during their games? Perhaps the story about his family was genuine and he did desire a worthy heir, the man had claimed to have been looking for him after all.

Another thought struck Zero just then.

He hadn't been in this world for very long so there was no way for anyone important to know about his existence. However, there was one aspect about him that might attract the wealthy and powerful.

He was the youngest firebender in history.

If Xuo was truly an international tycoon involved in communication between nations, then he would have no doubt heard about his firebending. Perhaps he found the prospect of having a historic world record holder under his thumb too enticing to ignore.

Or perhaps he was just being paranoid and Xuo was genuinely his grandfather, but one can never be too sure. After thinking for a moment longer, he concluded that the simplest answer made the most sense and Xuo was telling the truth. However, he decided that he would still be cautious in case the unlikely scenario happened where he was wrong.

"I see... so with your supposed wealth and the network of information I assume you receive from the company you own, you tracked me down to this city and, after finding out that I lived in an orphanage, wished to adopt me. Is that correct?" Zero tilted his head, staring intensely at Xuo in an attempt to read his facial expressions. It had been a long time since Zero used his skills in reading body language to detect deception, but he felt that he could still tell if the old man was lying.

After hearing Zero's question, Xuo's face underwent a range of emotions from shock to astonishment. So far he seemed wholly genuine to Zero's eyes and he felt himself ever so slightly relax.

"That's... amazing. You got it all in one. You... are one hell of a kid Zero." Xuo stated in a shocked stupor. "Every time I hear you talk, I'm amazed at just how... smart and articulate you are at your age. You truly are a prodigy."

Zero felt that Xuo was being honest in what he was saying, but he wanted to make sure.

"Of course, it must mean that I've come from a strong line with parents who had good hereditary traits." Zero played on Xuo's pride, causing the old man to smile. He wanted him to feel positive emotions before striking him in a vulnerable area. People tended to have looser lips when they were emotional. "Yet, you let your daughter die a lonely and painful death after causing her enough torment in childhood. Now, that doesn't sound like you're the kind of person who'd be looking for my best interests, so why should I go with you?"

Xuo had a look of pain in his face as he felt the guilt Zero induced in him. He had seen such looks before and they couldn't be faked. Not to Zero.

"I... I know I haven't been a good father and I haven't been taking care of my family as I should have but... I've realized that now. I want to make up for all the wrongs I've done. You're the last of my family and I want to at least be there for you when I wasn't for my own daughter."

Staring at Xuo and listening to his heartfelt confession, Zero firmly concluded that Xuo really did believe in what he was saying. Unless Xuo was actively engaging in a high form of self-delusion, he really was Zero's grandfather. A rich one at that. This was an interesting turn of events indeed.

"So you expect to adopt me and then what? Are you going to play the doting father and be some overbearing adult that tries to impose upon me?" Zero asked in a bored manner.

"No Zero. In the short amount of time I've come to know you, I realize you're not like other children." Xuo stated with a sad smile. "You are the type of person who only comes around once every few generations."

"So what, you think I'm like the Avatar?"

"Not at all Zero," Xuo chuckled. "But that doesn't make you any less amazing. I can see in you the potential to do great things and I want to be there to help nurture that potential. From our conversations earlier today, I can tell you wouldn't enjoy me acting as some doting grandfather towards you so I won't insult you by doing that."

"How did I garner such respect from a figure as highly esteemed as yourself?" Zero asked with raised eyebrows.

Xuo simply smiled before softly replying, "By being yourself."

"In that case, I completely understand." Zero smirked.

"Bwahaha! You really are my grandson Zero! You really do remind me of my younger self." Xuo laughed. After a moment, Xuo's merriment subsided and he became focused once more. "What say you Zero? In whatever it is you wish to accomplish, will you let me help you along the way and allow me to be a part of your life? If you say no, then I'll respect your decision and never bother you again, on this I swear. A man must make his own choices in life after all."

Zero hummed before looking away to ponder on the situation.

From what he could gather, Xuo was being genuine and truly did want to help him. In most cases, help was always appreciated but this was a big decision to make and one that would likely affect the rest of his life here.

Originally, he had planned to reject anyone that considered adopting him as he disliked the idea of being doted upon like some average child. Unlike his previous world where he had Nunnally, here he was free to do anything he wanted as he had no goal, no motive, and nothing to hold him.

Well, that wasn't entirely true. There was one thing that interested him and that was the world itself. Before today, he had thought of growing up in the orphanage while accumulating allies from the area as he grew older and then forming a group that would allow him to research anything he wanted.

With Xuo however, his range of options were much wider and he would live a much more comfortable life. It was an obvious choice really, but help didn't always come without a price. Xuo seemed like a shrewd man, he had to be to have reached where he was in life, so it was almost prudent to expect a cost to such good fortune even if they were related.

In the end, Zero decided that he was willing to pay whatever the price was. He had dealt with many terrible things in life and he was confident he could handle anything that came at him. Besides, what could he possibly lose? His life? Ha.

"Sure." Zero plainly responded with a small smile.

Xuo exhaled in relief before smiling at Zero. "Wonderful! You won't regret it." Xuo turned to Vorra who had stayed quiet throughout the entire exchange. "Well ma'am, it's been settled. I'm adopting Zero. If you could please show me the paperwork to make it all official it would be greatly appreciated."

"O-Of course. Let's discuss the details in my office." Vorra nodded before leading Xuo outside the room.

Zero sat alone in silence before laying his head back on the chair to rest after all of the day's events.

* * *

"Are you sure you want to take him home now? It's late and you know how this city is like at night." Vorra said in a worried tone.

"I don't know actually, considering how I'm new to this city," Xuo lightly replied. "But I'm sure we'll be fine."

"Well, if you say so." Vorra hesitantly agreed before looking down at Zero who stood beside his grandfather. Her face took on a softer look before speaking to the boy, "We're going to miss you Zero, you were probably the most well behaved child we've ever seen here. I hope you enjoyed your stay here and if you ever need to see us again feel free to drop by. Don't forget to eat your meals! I know you like to skip them to read. Oh, and don't train too hard with your firebending, we don't want you to get burned like that incident a couple weeks ago. And be nice to girls, you're going to be attracting a lot of them when you're older. Also you shoul-"

"Yes ma'am, I understand." Zero rolled his eyes. It was better to just agree than to argue with the overbearing woman.

Vorra smiled a tearful smile before kneeling to level with Zero's short height.

"You be a good boy alright? Your mother entrusted me with you. I know you're special and you have to make your own path," Vorra hugged him. "But don't forget your roots."

Women can be so emotional, Zero thought. Nonetheless, he returned the hug and awkwardly attempted to pat the elderly woman's back with his short arms.

"And don't forget us." Vorra whispered.

"I won't." Zero reassured. Vorra smiled sadly one last time before letting him go.

After the matron stood up, Zero and his new guardian bid her goodbye before setting off down the road. As they walked in silence, Zero took the time to close his eyes and bask in the cool breeze that caressed his skin.

The streets of North Chung-Ling held a different atmosphere compared to the boisterous liveliness it underwent only a few hours ago. Under the blanket of nighttime, the streets were devoid of people except for the few who lingered outside to smoke from their long pipes, leaving a trail of smoke floating in the air.

It was soothing and relaxing to stroll through the winding roads of the city, and it was times like these that made him appreciate life. It also set him in a contemplative mood. Zero opened his eyes and looked up at the softly glowing moon as he considered something else he felt.

He was feeling weak.

It wasn't because of all the walking he did earlier that made him feel this way, but something else. It was much deeper than anything physical. He could feel how much dimmer his 'inner fire' felt compared to the blaze that it was during the day.

In the course of his earlier experiments to determine the limits of firebending, he discovered that it was weaker during nighttime. After some consideration, he determined that the sun was what allowed him to firebend. This brought up questions as to what exactly it was about the sun that gave people powers.

Was it light?

He had resolved that question by shutting himself in a completely dark room during the daytime to see if it affected his firebending. Interestingly, it did very little to decrease his power, but there was still a difference. He had almost missed it, but he had been meditating to feel even the slightest change in his flame. The difference was about the same as taking a drop of water from a full bucket, but it was still there.

It seemed being depraved from the sun's light had some effect but it was very miniscule. Nonetheless, it was something he filed away for future consideration.

Zero had then done the same experiment during nighttime and noticed a significantly greater change. Instead of a drop, it felt like an entire cup had been taken from the bucket. It was as intriguing as it was baffling. There was something about the sun and the moon that gave rise to supernatural capabilities, both at differing levels, but he just couldn't figure it out. He felt like he was missing something crucial.

Even now, as he walked under the rays of moonlight, Zero was still confounded by his dilemma. Was it sunlight reflected on the moon that allowed firebending at night, but at a weaker level? No, he had discounted light as the primary source for firebending. It had to be something else, but what could it be?

There was nothing he could do about it now without more information and that was something that would come in due time. For now, he would have to focus on the present and find a damned bed. He was quite tired, he realized.

"Where exactly do you live?" Zero asked Xuo.

"Not too far off from here, we're getting closer." Xuo replied.

"Well, I hope we get there soon, my feet are killing me."

"Ah, if you wish, I can pick you up and carry you the rest of the way Zero." Xuo smiled.

It was a tempting offer but Zero had far too much pride to allow that to happen.

"No thanks. Besides, would you even be able to carry me old man? How old are you anyway?"

"Old enough to be your grandfather, but still young enough to attract all the ladies." Xuo responded in a serious tone before breaking character and chuckling at Zero's deadpan expression. "I'm fifty-five if you must know."

"Are you sure you'd be able to care for my interests at that age? Seems to me like you don't have very long to live." Zero bluntly stated. It was a bit harsh, but he had to look out for himself first and foremost, and knowing how long your provider could serve you was an important detail. With this world being relatively primitive, he could only imagine the short lifespan everyone here lived.

"Hmph, as if old age is enough to stop me." Xuo smirked before taking on a thoughtful look. "In all seriousness Zero, you'd be surprised at how long people can live. While there are poverty stricken areas with people lacking decent healthcare and food, the rich, such as myself, do not share the same problems. We can have problems taken care of that normal folk would not even begin to imagine could be solved. That is just a fact of life." Xuo lectured to an attentive Zero. "Take the Fire Lord for example. He's eighty-five years old, yet he is still as healthy as an ox. There's also King Bumi of Omashu who's ninety-seven years old, but is still widely considered to be the greatest earthbender in the world. I may not be in the same league as them, but I think it's safe to say that I have enough resources to live like them. Do you understand?"

"Yes. I understand that I'll have to put up with you for many more decades to come." Zero dully responded.

"That's the spirit Zero." Xuo chuckled while patting Zero's shoulder.

As they continued to walk through the dim streets of the city, they never realized that they were being followed. Deeply engrossed in their philosophical conversations, they were unprepared when they found themselves quickly surrounded by a group of darkly dressed individuals wielding knives and other sharp objects.

The presumed leader of the group took a step forward and spoke in an airy tone, "Well, look what we got ourselves tonight boys. An old man and a little boy lost at night. Hmm, I feel like there's a joke in there somewhere." At this, the group of men laughed. "Unfortunately for you two, you picked the wrong night to go strolling through these streets. It's quite dangerous this late at night and there are many unsavory characters wandering around. Why don't you give us all your money so you wont attract any of those shady criminals?"

"I'm just an old man taking a walk with my grandson. We have no money, so please, will you let us pass?" Xuo calmly asked.

"You know, I'd believe you more if you weren't wearing such expensive clothing. Judging by that style, you must be one of the top tier rich folk. Woo! We struck big tonight boys." The darkly dressed men all cheered at their good fortune as they approached their two victims.

"Wait, I wouldn't do that if I were you." Zero spoke up. "You'll regret it."

Despite Zero's bravado, he knew they were in a bad situation. They were in a five versus two scenario, and he didn't think Xuo had any fighting capabilities. He was also physically tired from the day's events and his firebending was at less than optimal levels. Not to mention, he was in the body of a child.

"Looky here, the kid's got some fangs. However, you're twenty years too young to be threatening me boy. Go get 'em."

All at once, four of the thugs moved to grab at the frozen Xuo. Zero had no hesitation as he punched his fist towards the closest adversary and unleashed a fireball that charred the man's clothing. The move caused the man to stagger back in surprise and pain, giving Zero time to turn to another foe while sweeping his arm in a horizontal arc.

A small wave of fire leapt from his arm towards two of the men causing them to raise their arms in an attempt to protect themselves. They were hit with the blast and cried out in pain, but their forward momentum caused them to stumble and fall in his direction. He was too slow and they were too close to avoid. Zero could do nothing but brace himself as they fell on top of him.

Zero tried to wrench himself free from beneath their bodies but he was too small and weak, while they were quick to reorient themselves in their new positions. Before long, both Zero and Xuo found themselves held in arm holds by their assailants. Granted, their attackers didn't look to be in great shape themselves, but they still lost.

After a moment of silence, the leader of the gang spoke, "Well, well, who would've guessed that you were a firebender? Aren't you a little young to be able to do that? Eh, it doesn't matter I guess," the man shook his head. " You put up a good fight, I'll admit, but playtime's over. We'll be taking your coins now and maybe rough you up, you know, just for fun."

As the man grinned, Zero's mind worked at a furious pace. He couldn't do anything in the hold they had him in, and Xuo was just as likely to be useless. There was very little he could do in their dilemma and everything pointed to a bad outcome. It was beginning to look like a hopeless situation. There was nothing he could possibly- well...

"Wait." Zero said as calmly as he could. "You've passed our test."

"Hmm? What are you going on about boy?"

"Did you really think an old man would stroll through the streets of a city with a bad reputation for crime while wearing obviously expensive clothing? While walking with a young child? Nobody is that stupid." Zero scoffed. "This was all planned out."

"What? You're lying."

"Am I?" Zero asked confidently. "It seems more likely that two people willingly went into shady territory to get caught than just dumb luck, don't you think?"

The gang leader narrowed his eyes at Zero. "And why exactly would someone want to be mugged on purpose?"

"It's simple. Have you heard of Intel Corp?" Zero asked.

"Sounds familiar."

"Well that's because it's a megacorporation that deals in international matters across the land." Zero smirked.

"Yeah, I think I've heard about it boss," one of the thugs spoke up. "It's some big shot organization from what I remember."

"I see..." the boss muttered. "And what does this have to do with them?"

"Intel Corp has certain problems they need taken care of in a... less than legal manner. They've been looking for... trustworthy citizens willing to do the dirty work. For a price well worth it of course." Zero bluffed. "So they sent us to seedy sectors in order to lure out crimi- citizens who have the right temperament for the job."

"So that's why you were so obviously asking to be robbed, with all that expensive clothing? Some big criminal organization wanted some people to do a job?" the leader asked with a frown.

While Zero didn't intend for Intel Corp to be confused as a criminal empire, he could roll with the punches.

"Yes. We are both agents of I.C. and while we may look this way, we are more than meets the eye." Zero stated in a serious tone.

"Hmm, I see. I did wonder how a child could firebend, but if you come from this I.C. then it makes sense." The man nodded his head before breaking out a smile. "Man, these crime syndicates take 'em in younger every year!" he chuckled.

"I said pretty much the same thing! But no one listens to me." Xuo laughed as he played along.

"Well, sorry about this you two." The boss waved away the thugs holding Zero and Xuo. "Just a misunderstanding eh? Us criminals have to stick together after all!"

"Right you are." Zero agreed.

"So what're the details of this job you guys are offering?"

There were many ways Zero could respond to the question, but after pondering it for a moment longer, he decided on a course of action.

"Just a simple job, the exact details weren't given to us for security purposes. I'm sure you know how it is." The gang leader nodded as if he understood what Zero was spouting. "We were ordered to tell you the meeting place where you'll be told the plans for the job. In a week from now, you are to head to the hill on the east side of the island and near the factory there, a tree will be marked with an X. That is where you'll be given the job."

"Hill on the east, near factory, tree with X. I got it."

"Good. Here, take this as a token of good faith from I.C." Zero said as he handed them a pouch with several silver coins. It wasn't a very large amount so Zero was fine with handing it over to them in order to increase the chances of their belief in his bluff.

"Hmm, much appreciated little one." The leader of the gang smiled. "It was a pleasure doing business with you. I'm sure the boys here took that scuffle as just a learning experience, right boys?"

The thugs merely grunted in reply.

"Well, tell your I.C. we'll be there. Here's to a good profitable relationship." He raised his hand as if to toast in celebration.

"Indeed." Zero raised his hand to return the gesture.

Soon afterwards the five-man group walked away and left Zero alone with Xuo.

"That was an interesting experience." Xuo stated in amusement as they continued their walk to Xuo's abode.

"They weren't very smart and criminals are always looking for further chances to gain more wealth. I just gave them a better option. Would they rather mug two people for some paltry sum, or accept a deal that might lead to a potential source of income? It was simple really."

"So what are you going to do now? I know you've given yourself a week, but what then?" Xuo asked.

"They've seen our faces so we'd have to deal with them or risk having to look over our shoulders the rest of our lives. I can think of several options of getting rid of them, from setting up a death trap at the location I gave them or even informing the authorities of hoodlums planning a crime and giving away the location if I wanted a softer approach."

"You're pretty ruthless Zero. Do I even want to know what this 'Death Trap' is or how you're so calm talking about murder?"

"No you probably don't." Zero stated. In case he did go that route, he had been planning to attain copious amounts of flammable material from the local market before covering the entire area of the meeting point with the liquid and setting it on fire when the five men were in place. It was quite harsh, but he didn't appreciate being threatened. "There's also another option we can take."

"And what's that?"

"We make use of them and give them a job." Zero casually replied. "It could be useful having people willing to do your dirty work and giving them a paying job would only cement my- our control over them."

"But you told them the name of my company, what if they ruin its reputation?" Xuo asked.

"Nobody would believe them if they said they worked for your company." Zero confidently responded. "You could easily deny any claims and no one would be able to prove it. Besides, if your company has been as reputable as you say it has, then the chances of people siding with you would be even higher."

"You think of everything don't you?"

"It helps to be prepared." Zero smirked.

"You really are an amazing child Zero, aside from your murderous tendencies of course."

"Yes well, if I don't find a nice bed to rest on soon you'll be experiencing those tendencies very shortly." Zero grunted. It was only now, after the adrenaline left his system, that he remembered how tired his body was.

"Well, luck's in my favor 'cause we're here." Xuo stated as he waved his arm dramatically to his right.

Zero looked over and stared at the large mansion that Xuo was pointing at. It had a similar design to many of the houses in the city, but held a more modern look with metallic parts strewn into its construction and large windows on the higher floors that overlooked large gardens filled with various floras.

On the veranda, there was an assortment of furniture that helped to accentuate the stylized look of the open bar situated in the center. On some of the tables, he could see built-in board games, some of which included Pai Sho.

From what he could see through the windows of the ground floor, the inside decorations had the look of someone who enjoyed a warm and homey atmosphere. To Zero who stood outside under the cover of night, the warm glowing light that shined from inside the house gave it the look of a luminous lighthouse that tore through the darkness as if to guide those who were lost. It was exquisite.

"Welcome home Zero." Xuo smiled.

* * *

 **Welcome indeed Zero. Welcome to the world of Avatar and its crazy shenanigans. Seriously though, I rewatched some episodes of Avatar and there's some crazy shit that frankly confuses me sometimes.**

 **On another note, I haven't said this before, but thanks for all the reviews. It's pretty fun reading them. As I stated before, I already had quite a bit of this story planned out so reading some of your theories brings a smile to my face. A smile that quickly turns into cackles at how close or far you guys are.**

 **It's also interesting that some of you want Azula as the main pairing with Lelouch/Zero. All I can do is reiterate that I've planned out much of this story already and whether or not Lelouch/Zero ends up with anyone ;)**

 **Until next time...**


End file.
